Catapult



A. B. MULL Dec. 2, 141.

CATAPULT Filed July 23, 1941 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 2, 1941 7 CATAPULT Arthur B. Mull, Chicago, 111., assignor of one-half to Spotswood Specialty Company, Inc., Lexington, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Application July 23, 1941, Serial No. 403,701

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a catapult dart assembly and more particularly to a catapult dart assembly utilizing sheet material in the manufacture thereof, so that the dart may be projected by releasing a rubber band.

An object of this invention is to provide a catapult and a dart wherein the main body portions of each are made from sheet material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a catapult dart assembly that is easily produced, economical to manufacture, eflicient, dependable and safe to manipulate, wherein the dart is provided with a protective head.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the catapult loaded with the'dart or projectile ready for firing.

Figure 2 is another perspective view showing a portion of the catapult andthe dart shortly after leaving the catapult.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the blank used in forming the dart.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the blank used in forming the catapult.

Figures 3 and 4 are drawn to a smaller scale than Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the catapult taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a rear end view of the dart or projectile.

The catapult dart assembly consists broadly of a dart or a projectile and a catapult therefor, which will now be described.

The projectile or dart assembly includes a head portion, which consists of a vacuum or suction cup I0, and a tail portion l2. The tail portion I2 is made from suitable sheet material, as for example, a good grade of paper or light weight cardboard. The entire tail portion consists of a single piece made from a blank as shown in Figure 3. This tail portion includes a pair of side members l4 formed by folding'the blank along the line Ma. The side members l4 merge into wing portions l6 extending outwardly from the creases or score lines l6a. As may be seen by referring to Figures 3 and 6, the tail portion is reenforced by an extension I 8 that is folded on the score or fold line 20. This extension I8 when folded into the bight between the sides l4, forms a reenforcing portion for the neck 22 of the dart, which neck projects into a slotted opening or hole in the suction cup 10. The neck 22 is enlarged at the outer end, so as to form an anchor seated in the slot in the suction cup l0. Although the neck is enlarged and thereby anchored in the slot in the suction cup, it is necessary for some purposes to cement the neck 22 in the slot of the suction cup. Instead of cementing the neck, a suitable reenforcing member may be wedged between the folded portions of the neck, so as to cooperate with the enlarged end to rigidly anchor the tail portion in the suction cup. This reenforcing member may project between the sides of the tail portion, so as to give the sides rigidity. The rear ends of the sides M are inclined at [417, so as to form a band engaging seat, as will appear more fully later. This dart assembly is projected from a suitable catapult, which will now be described.

The catapult is preferably made from a cardboard blank 30 having a pair of score lines 32 on the under side thereof. Overlapping portions or flaps 34 of this blank are folded upon the main body portion 36 and held in position by a staple 38. The overlapping portions or flaps 34 lie substantially in a common plane parallel to the plane formed by the main body portion 36. One margin of each flap 34 is secured to its corresponding margin of the main body portion'36. The overlapping portions 34 cooperate with the main body portion 36 to form a substantially inverted T-shaped passage or slot 35, in which the dart is seated immediately prior to being projected. The forward end of the main body portion is provided with an extension 40, having a pair of lateral slots 42 adapted to receive a rubber band 44. Before loading, this rubber band is stretched so as to have the loop positioned under a band retaining extension 46 projecting from the opposite end of the catapult. The extension 46 cooperates with a pair of angularily disposed extensions 4'! to form a pair of seats or notches 49 adapted to receive the rubber band 44.

As clearly shown in Figure 1, when the rubber band 44 has been positioned in the notches 49 and in engagement with the extension 46, the dart is inserted in the slot formed between the overlapping portions 34 and seated near the lower end of the catapult, with the wings l6 of the dart positioned in channels 48 found between the overlapping portions 34 and the main body portion 36. The rubber band may then be released from the extension 46, causing it to snap into engagement with the band receiving portion of the dart, so as to shoot the dart from the catapult.

As soon as the dart leaves the catapult, the wings l6, extending outwardly, guide the dart,

causing it to shoot through the air. The suction cup functions as a weight and the tail portion I2 of the dart functions as a tail, causing the suction cup to head the dart. If the suction cup alights with sufiicient momentum on a smooth surface substantially normal to its direction of flight, the suction cup will stick to the smooth surface, holding the dart in the position in which it alights.

This assembly is easily manufactured from cheap materials, requiring few parts that are,

assembled with a very few manual operations. At the same time, the resulting structure is very attractive as an amusement toy.

The type and grade of material used, the weight and the size thereof are a matter of choice, depending entirely upon the ultimate use to which the dart is to be put. Instead of using cardboard for the sheet material parts, these may be made from sheet metal or any other suitable sheet material having the desired characteristics.

Although the preferred modification of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A catapult for shooting a dart, said catapult including a sheet material flat main body portion, a pair of integral overlapping flat portions folded upon the main body portion so as to form a longitudinally extending slot, said overlapping portions cooperating with the main body portion to form a pair of laterally disposed channels cooperating with the slot to form a substantially inverted T-shaped passage, a rubber band secured to the forward end of the main body portion, said rubber band being adapted to stretch, the sides thereof straddling said slot so as to utilize the rubber band to discharge the dart loaded in the slot.

2. A catapult for use in shooting a projectile, said catapult including a flat main body portion, a pair of integral overlapping flat portions folded upon the main body portion so as to form a centrally disposed longitudinally extending slot, said overlapping portions cooperating with the main body portion to form a pair of laterally disposed channels cooperating with said slot to form a substantially inverted T-shaped passage, the main body portion having extensions at the opposite ends thereof, the forward extension being provided with a pair of lateral slots, a rubber band seated in said slots, said rubber band being adapted to be stretched throughout the length of the main body portion and hooked over the extension on the opposite end of the main body portion, and means for securing the overlapping portions in fixed relation with respect to the main body portion so that when the projectile is loaded in the slot in readiness to be guided by said channels the rubber band may be released to actuate the projectile.

3. A catapult for use in shooting a projectile, said catapult including a flat main body of sheet material, a pair of flat side flaps overlapping the main body, means for marginally securing one overlapping flap to one margin of the main body and the other flap to the opposite margin of the main body, said flaps cooperating to form a longitudinal slot, a rubber band attached to one end of the main body, and means for releasably securing the rubber band to the opposite end of the main body, said slot being adapted to receive the projectile to be actuated by releasing the rubber band engaging the projectile to shoot it from the catapult.

4. A catapult for use in shooting a projectile, said catapult including a flat main body, a rubber band, means for securing the rubber band to one end of the main body, and a pair of flat flaps overlying the main body and terminating in spaced relation from the end having the rubber band attached thereto, means for marginally securing the flaps to the main body the opposite end of the main body being provided with an extension bounded on either side by angularly disposed projections, said extension providing retaining means for holding the rubber band when stretched into position for shooting the dart, said flaps forming a longitudinal slot cooperating to form a substantially inverted T- shaped passage for a dart loaded therein, said rubber band straddling the slot so that as it is released from the extension the dart is projected from the catapult.

5. A catapult for use in shooting a projectile, said catapult including a fiat main body, a rubber band, means for securing the rubber band to one end of the main body, a pair of flat flaps overlying the main body and terminating in spaced relation from the end having the rubber band attached thereto, said flaps lying in a common plane substantially parallel to the plane of the main body, said flaps cooperating to form a longitudinally extending slot adapted to receive the projectile when positioned in readiness for shooting, and means for marginally securing the flaps to the main body.

6. A catapult for use in shooting a projectile, said catapult including a sheet material main body having a flat base portion and a pair of laterally disposed folded flaps cooperating to form a longitudinally disposed slot having one end open, the other end closed, said folded flaps lying in a common plane substantially parallel to the plane of the main body, said base portion having an extension projecting beyond the flaps, a staple for securing the flaps to the end of the main body opposite the extension projecting beyond the flaps and a rubber band secured to said extension, said rubber band being adapted to shoot a projectile positioned in the slot.

ARTHUR B. ,MULL. 

